WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 7, 2026)—This morning, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his key advisors announced the release of new dietary guidelines. Updated every five years, the Dietary Guidelines advise on what to eat and drink in order to promote health and meet nutritional needs.
As part of the new guidelines, explicit recommendations on drinks per day have been removed altogether. When asked about the omission, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), provided commentary on the role of alcohol as part of a healthy lifestyle, which is largely in line with ACSA’s longtime perspective: “Alcohol is a social lubricant that brings people together… There’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with good friends in a safe way.” He also pointed to the Blue Zones around the world, where people live the longest, and noted that alcohol is sometimes part of this diet.
As you know, ACSA and the broader spirits industry have worked diligently to advocate reliance on scientific evidence that demonstrates alcohol in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle. ACSA has continued to champion that notion, while working to discredit sensationalized neoprohibitionist news reports and biased science. ACSA will continue to advocate for moderation with overall responsible drinking.
ACSA has partnered with an alliance of beverage alcohol trade associations to share the below statement broadly with media:
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Coalition Statement on Alcohol Guidance in the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans
“The Dietary Guidelines’ longstanding, overarching advice is that if alcohol is consumed, it should be done in moderation. These updated guidelines, underpinned by the preponderance of scientific evidence, reaffirm this important guidance.”
Additional Background:
- The new guidelines are consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), which advised that “drinking less is better for health than drinking more” and that “there are also some people who should not drink at all.” The DGAs are updated every five years.
- The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Consensus Report , which is the study directed by Congress to inform the 2025 Dietary Guidelines on alcohol, concluded in part that those who drink in moderation have a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of all-cause mortality. The report also linked moderate alcohol consumption with an increased risk of breast cancer.
This statement is co-signed by the following national trade associations:
- American Beverage Licensees
- American Cider Association
- Associated Cooperage Industries of America Inc.
- American Craft Spirits Association
- American Distilling Institute
- American Distilled Spirits Alliance
- Beer Institute
- Brewers Association
- Can Manufacturers Institute
- Consumer Brands Association
- Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
- Glass Packaging Institute
- Hop Growers of America
- Independent Restaurant Coalition
- National Association of Wheat Growers
- National Barley Growers Association
- National Beer Wholesalers Association
- National Restaurant Association
- United States Bartenders’ Guild
- WineAmerica
- Wine Institute
- Wine & Spirits Guild of America
- Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
These trade associations have joined more than 85 organizations who have called for Science Over Bias in the Dietary Guidelines review process with respect to alcohol.
Tags: ACSA American Craft Spirits Association American Distilled Spirits Craft Spirits Dietary Guidelines Distilled Spirits Health and Human Services
